Captive
by Anaroriel
Summary: Sukka fluffiness. Suki is captured, will Sokka find and rescue her a second time?


**A/N: Just some random Sukka fluffiness for ya. I was rewatching the Boiling Rock when a thought hit me: did Suki realize that Sokka's intentions when he came were not to rescue her, but to rescue his father? So this is my way of sort of... dealing with that issue. Enjoy, and please write a review!**

"I knew you'd come for me," Suki had told Sokka that day in her cell. She wished those words could be repeated by her again because even though it was months after the war had ended, again she sat in a small compressed prison cell. The narrow, metallic walls suppressed the air into near-suffocation; a grim and grimy reminder of the humiliating and naked claustrophobia that could never be forgotten at any time in the Boiling Rock. Not by anyone. And especially not by her.

Especially not now. Her eyes traced the individual nuts and screws of her cell up and down the walls, counting them as she used to do. She told herself then that it had kept her sane during her stay at the Boiling Rock, but now as hysteria bubbled up when she lost count – was she at a hundred and forty-eight or a hundred and forty-nine? – Suki wondered if such an exercise only advanced the sickness of the mind. Did Azula used to count too? Was that what finally made her snap at the end, the dwindling numbers of those she could trust, the frightening image of a lonely digit coming out of the darkness with no numbers to follow, the single number one?

Over a year ago Suki had been confident that Sokka would come for her, would rescue her from her literal and metaphoric prison cell. And he had. It wasn't until later, the taste of freedom still sweet on her tongue, did she realize that perhaps her faith in the young warrior was misplaced. He hadn't really come to find her; it had been a coincidence, a chance of luck that she happened to be in the same prison as his father. To Sokka, finding and rescuing her was fate, destiny. An affirmation that they were meant to be. Suki used to believe him, allowing the sourness of enlightenment to burn away; but still, she couldn't help but think, that while destiny was great and wonderful, actively searching her out, coming for her and her only – well. It would have been nice.

It would be nice now, too, if Sokka would come and find her and rescue her. She was alone; no father or sister or other loved one to tempt the young warrior to locate her. And while Suki had never intended to be taken prisoner in the lingering post-war rebellions of the Fire Nation, she couldn't help but think about how this was Sokka's chance. A chance for redemption in her hidden heart's eyes. She didn't know whether to expect that much, or if she deserved to expect it.

Suki heard the deafening explosion just before shock waves rolled over her. She lost her count again – she was somewhere in the fifties this time – but, as the walls around her began to heat from an outside flame, she found she did not to care for the first time in over a week.

Suki rushed to the door, pressing her hand against the quickly heating metal before pulling her hand away in pain. Her hand reddened and stung, the heat from the metal so intense that it seemed to have been transferred and trapped in her skin. "Let me out!" she screamed.

"Suki?" Sokka's voice echoed up the rounded hall that connected the cells. "Suki! Where are you?"

"I'm here! Here!" Sweat beaded on her forehead and stung her eyes as it dripped down her face. "Sokka!" Clutching her sleeve against her fist, Suki pounded on the metal.

There was a large metal crunch, and the door rolled into a small ball as easily as tin foil. Dark, heavy smoke billowed into her cell, blinding and choking Suki and forcing her lower to the ground to avoid it.

"Come on!" A young girl's hand slipped into her own, and while the two coughed, Toph led Suki down the hall and away from the blaze to safety.

The two girls burst through another easily smashed door, coughing and hacking as tears of pain rolled down their faces.

"Where's Sokka?" Suki said once she could talk again. "Is he still in there?"

"I'm right here." Arms circled around her and she was pulled up against his chest. Compared to the sweltering heat of the room, Sokka's body heat was comforting and warm.

"Sokka," Suki turned in his arms and hugged him. His hair had fallen out of his warrior's wolf tail, and soot smeared across his face, but to Suki, a dearer face could not be found. She reached up to brush some ash from his cheek.

Toph cleared her throat. "Okay, you two lovebirds, this really isn't the time. We still need to get out of here before the rebellions bring reinforcements."

Sokka grinned down at the young girl who was blowing her long bangs off her face. "Lead the way, Toph."

Toph turned and crumpled another door with her metalbending before stomping through it.

Suki stopped Sokka. His fingers lingered around her waist as he smiled at her bemusedly. "You came for me," she said.

"Of course I did, Suki." Sokka looked bewildered by her words. His hand moved to her shoulder, a pressure confirming his presence before her.

Suki blushed. "I just thought… well. I was the only one captured. There was no one else for you to rescue here except for me."

Sokka reached a hand up to cup Suki's cheek. "Suki –"

"Are you guys coming?" Toph's head popped out from around the corner, frustration and annoyance clear on her face. "Seriously, if the reinforcements don't kill you, the smoke and fire will. I'm just saying."

"Yeah, yeah. Just a minute." Sokka ignored Toph's dramatic huff.

Suki turned her gaze to the floor to hide the hurt in her eyes. "I mean, it was really dangerous, coming here. And you really didn't have to find me, necessarily. I know you have a lot of things to worry about right now, and I'm sorry for making you waste time trying to find me and break me out of here because I was too careless and got captured. And I've been doing some thinking since I've been here for what, two weeks now? And I mean, I know I don't mean as much to you as Yue did, and I'm okay with that and I just wanted you to know that you don't have to feel guilty or obligated just because I like you and I still really like you, but I shouldn't have –"

Sokka didn't let Suki finish before locking lips with her, effectively shutting off her rambling. "You still talk too much." He leaned his forehead against her. "And although I did like Yue, that's nothing compared to the way that I _love_ you."

Suki melted. "You love me?"

"Guys, seriously. Snoozles, can't we do this later? Can't either of you see this is not the time to have this moment? I'm blind and I can see that!"

"We're coming, we're coming." Sokka took Suki by the hand and led her down the hallway after Toph. He squeezed Suki's hand and his eyes sought out hers in the darkness, captivating her even still. "And yes, to answer your question. I'll say it again; Suki, I love you. And I will always come for you."


End file.
